Daniel Otte (born March 14, 1939, South Africa) is a South African-American ecologist, entomologist, world expert on crickets and grasshoppers and prominent scientific illustrator. He has made significant contributions to evolutionary biology. [1] He is curator and chairman of the Department of Entomology at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. [2]
Otte was born and educated in South Africa and began his career at the University of Delaware.[ citation needed ]
Otte has contributed to the following areas of research:
Otte also has illustrated the following books for general audiences:
Otte is the founder and principal author of "Orthoptera Species File", an online catalog providing information on all the world's grasshoppers, crickets, katydids and related species. With the world's largest collection of grasshoppers and crickets and an outstanding library, the Academy of Natural Sciences pioneered in the task of placing a catalog of all known species of a major group of insects on the Internet. The Orthoptera Species File provides access to data on one of the most economically important groups, the grasshoppers, historically one of man's important competitors.
Otte is founder and senior author of the "Mantodea Species File", a catalog of the praying mantis species of the world, and is founder and principal author of "Phasmida Species File", a catalog of the stick insects of the world.
Otte has conducted research which documents the magnitude and origin of organic diversity in the following regions:
A symposium was held in June 2009 to honor Otte, Curator of Entomology at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. It was held at the University of Lethbridge, in Lethbridge, Canada. [4] Otte received the Leidy Award for scientific excellence on November 12, 2009 at the Academy, where he has worked as curator of entomology for 35 years. [5]
Spaniacris is a genus of spanistic desert grasshoppers in the family Romaleidae. There is at least one described species in Spaniacris, S. deserticola.
Stilpnochlora couloniana is a species of phaneropterine katydid in the family Tettigoniidae, native to southeastern United States, the Bahamas and Cuba. It is known as the giant katydid and it is the largest katydid in the United States, with an average length of 6.6 cm (2.6 in) in adult males and 7.8 cm (3.1 in) in adult females. Individuals from Cuba tend to grow 5–10% larger than those from the United States. They are sometimes kept as pets.
Syrbula montezuma, known generally as the Montezuma's grasshopper or slant-faced grasshopper, is a species of slant-faced grasshopper in the family Acrididae. It is found in Central America and North America.
Asemoplus sierranus is a species of short-horned grasshopper in the family Acrididae. It is found in North America.
Phrynotettix robustus, known generally as the robust toad lubber or robust toad hopper, is a species of lubber grasshopper in the family Romaleidae. It is found in North America.
Gryllidea is an infraorder that includes crickets and similar insects in the order Orthoptera. There are two superfamilies, and more than 6,000 described species in Gryllidea.
Trimerotropini is a tribe of band-winged grasshoppers in the family Acrididae. There are at least 70 described species in Trimerotropini: found in the western Americas.
Paropomala virgata, the virgata toothpick grasshopper, is a species of slant-faced grasshopper in the family Acrididae. It is found in Central America and North America.
Asemoplus is a genus of short-horned grasshoppers in the family Acrididae. There are at least three described species in Asemoplus.
Phrynotettix is a genus of toad lubbers in the family Romaleidae. There are at least three described species in Phrynotettix.
Abila is a genus of lubber grasshoppers in the family Acrididae. There are at least four described species in Abila. They occur in South America.
Stilpnochlora is a genus of phaneropterine katydids in the family Tettigoniidae, native to tropical and subtropical parts of the Americas. There are about 15 described species in Stilpnochlora.
Psinidia fenestralis, known generally as longhorn band-wing grasshopper, is a species of band-winged grasshopper in the family Acrididae. Other common names include the long-horned grasshopper, long-horned locust, and sand locust. It is found in the Caribbean and North America.
Psinidia is a genus of band-winged grasshoppers in the family Acrididae. There are at least three described species in Psinidia.
Melanoplus chiricahuae, the Chiricahua short-wing grasshopper, is a species of spur-throated grasshopper in the family Acrididae. It is found in North America.
Conozoa carinata, the ridged grasshopper, is a species of band-winged grasshopper in the family Acrididae. It is found in Central America and North America.
Melanoplus frigidus, known generally as the Nordic mountain grasshopper or narrow-winged locust, is a species of spur-throated grasshopper in the family Acrididae. It is found in Europe and Northern Asia.
Mastacideidae is a family of grasshoppers in the order Orthoptera. There are at least two genera and about eight described species in Mastacideidae, found in South Asia.
Xyronotidae is a family of Central American grasshoppers in the order Orthoptera. There are at least two genera and four described species in Xyronotidae.
Teratodinae is a subfamily of grasshoppers in the family Acrididae. There are about 8 genera and more than 20 described species, found in East Africa and South-West Asia.